djuse1I never give much thought comedy or humor, although, I must say, one of the things friends often say to me is: “You can make me laugh.”

It’s something that has never really extended into my writing—always serious or world-building—and in Flash, there’s very little time (and words) to add something funny or quirky. Also, markets for ‘funny’, ‘humor’, and the like are few.  Every Day Fiction, of course, is an exception since they publish all genres—not like so many venues for Flash that are locked in a narrow vein. 

I’ve never before sat down in front of the keyboard and thought –“just funny, there, dj. Write some of those oddities that slip from your mouth in conversation.”

Most are but comments and observations on life, love, happiness—not really a story. And one thing Flash must be is a story. However, there are a few forms, i.e., an all dialogue story, maybe even second person.

While those might make an easier path to some light humor, first and second person pov’s and dialogue-only stories seem not very well-favored by so many. These types of stories are a challenge in themselves to write well and the reward is often rejection for the pov format, if not just the story.

But, as they say: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” I am willing to give it a go. And that’s what I tell myself all the time. Go ahead! Do something different—give yourself a challenge. And that maybe maturation for me as a writer. Or as they used to say on Monty Python: “And now for something completely different…”

So, my advice is to give it a go, try something new, be it a different genre, poetry, writing in second-person. Hey, you never know. You just might find you’re better at it than you’d have ever thought!

 

DJ Barber writes stories, flash, poems, and novels. He was born in the northeast and lives in the northwest. When not writing he has a wife and two dogs that keep him busy. He has been published online at Every Day Fiction, Moon Drenched Fables, Tales From the Moonlit Path, Big Pulp, Every Day Poets, and Everyday Weirdness.

In Print DJ has been published by Darker Intentions Press, Odyssey Magazine, has a short story in the anthology, Damned in Dixie, and has a flash in the Best of Every Day Fiction 2008.